Rail-joint.



J. E. MEYERS.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10. 1914.

19,49, 1 Patented May 11, 1915.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys THE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTOLITHOHWASHINGTON D. C.

UNITD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB E. MEYER/S, OF REMINGTON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0 EZRABOW- MAN, ONE-SIXTH TO WILLIAM TOWNS-END, AND ONE-SIXTH TO CLAUDE 13.TOWN- SEND, ALL OF REMINGTON, INDIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB E. MEYERS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Remington, in the county ofJasper and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint,of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to rail joints, and aims to provide anovel and improved joint or connection for the meeting ends of therails.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a rail joint ofunique construction, whereby the rail ends may move to and from eachother, as the rails expand and contract due to atmospheric changes, andwhereby the rail ends will be effectively braced against lateraldisplacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rail joint whichwill dispense with the necessity of employing the usual securing bolts,but which may be provided with hidden pins for holding the rails againstexcessive separation.

It is also within the scope of the present invention, to provide a railjoint which will be comparatively simple, substantial, durable andinexpensive in construction, and which will be convenient, practicable,serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvedjoint, portions being broken away to disclose the locking pin. Fig. 2 isan enlarged cross section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a rail chair 1which is constructed of forged, wrought or other suitable metal, andwhich embodies a pair of longitudinal complementing angle bars or fishplates 2 attached integrally to a base or tie plate 3, and adapted toreceive the meeting or adjacent ends of the rails 4. The upright flanges5 of the fish plates or splice bars 2 are provided along their upperedges with outwardly projecting or outturned lips 6 co-extensive withthe chair 1, while the lower flanges 7 of the angle bars or fish plates2 have their outer edge portions integral with the edge portions of thebase plate 3, and the chair is provided at the juncture of the flanges 7and base plate 3 with longitudinal upstanding lips 8 which areco-extensive with the chair and parallel with the lips 6. It is evidentthat the rail ends may fit snugly between the fish plates 2 and upon thebase 3, to be restrained for longitudinal movement with the chair, therail ends being slid longitudinally into the chair in assembling thejoint. As a means for bracing the angle bars or fish plates 2, andespecially the upright flanges 5 thereof, angular braces 9 are fittedsnugly between the flanges 5 and 7 of the fish plates 2, the braces 9being of such a contour as to fit snugly against the fish plates withthe upper and lower ends of the braces 9 snugly and slidably engagingthe respectiveupper and lower lips 6 and 8 0f the fish plates.

Two of the braces 9 are preferably provided at each side of the joint,whereby each rail end will have a pair of opposite braces for holdingthe same against lateral displacement or movement, the pairs of bracesat the opposite ends of the joint, being opposite each other to properlyresist the lateral displacement of the rail ends, and to cause therespective braces to cooperate for holding the rail ends firmly inplace.

As will be clearly apparent from Fig. 2, it will be noted that thebraces 9 in fitting slidably upon the fish plates 2 between the lips 6and 8, will be constrained for longitudinal sliding movement along thechair, whereby the braces cannot be displaced or detached by a lateralor transverse movement. Thus, it is necessary to slide the braceslongitudinally into engagement with the chair, and to then slide themlongitudinally to their proper positions. As a means for holding thebraces 9 in place, and for securing the chair 1 upon the ties, the lowerportions of the braces 9 are provided with spike openings 10 which areadapted to aline with similar spike openings 10 provided in the edgeportions of the chair at the junctures of the fish plates 2 and the base3. Thus, when the braces 9 are slid to their proper positions to bringthe spike openings 10 thereof into alinement with the spike openings 10of the chair, the spikes or securing elements may be readily driventhrough the registering spike openings 10 and 10 to take into theunderlying ties. The chair may thus be securely anchored to the ties,and at the same time, the braces 9 will be locked against longitudinalmovement.

It is desirable to lock one'or both of the rail ends against completeexcessive withdrawal from the chair, and to this end, the uprightflanges 5 of the fish plates are provided with openings or apertures 11cooperating with an elongated slot 12 provided in the corresponding railweb, for the reception of a pin 13 within the apertures 11 and slot 12.The apertures 11 and slot 12 are preferably disposed between therespective braces 9, whereby the pin 13 will be hidden or inclosed bythe braces. It will therefore be obvious that the pin 13 must beinserted into the apertures 11 and slot 12 before the assemblage of thebraces with the chair, and then when the braces are slid over the pin13, they will have the dual function of inclosing or hiding the pins,and retaining them in place. The slot 12 in the rail web permits therail to have a limited sliding movement with respect to the chair, andif desired, each of the rail ends may be held for limited movementWithin the rail chair in the manner described.

In practice, the joint may be readily assembled by first sliding theends of the rails into the chair then applying the pin or pins 13, thensliding the braces longitudinally into engagement with the chair totheir proper positions and driving the spikes through the holes orapertures 10 and 10 to secure the joint upon the ties. The rail endswill then be firmly held in place, since the braces 9 having their outeror remote ends abutting against the lips 8 of the chair to brace theflange 5 of the fish plates and to thereby prevent the lateral movementof the rails. Furthermore, it will be noted that the upper edges of theflanges 5 and the lips 6 fit snugly under the heads or balls of therails to support the same, and the braces 9 being disposed between thelips 6 and 8, will not only serve as buttresses for the flanges 5 andthe rails, but will also cover the pins 13 and retain them in place.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In arail joint, an angle fish plate, and a brace disposed between theflanges thereof, of, the flanges of the fish plate having means engagingthe brace for guiding the brace for longitudinal sliding movement andfor holding the brace against lateral displacement.

2. In a rail joint, an angle fish plate, and a brace disposed betwen theflanges thereof, the flanges of the fish plate having means for guidingthe brace for longitudinal sliding movement, the brace and lower flangeof the fish plate having openings adapted to be brought into alinement.

3. In a rail joint, an angle fish plate, the flanges thereof havinglips, and a brace disposed between the said lips.

' 4. In a rail joint, an angle fish plate whose flanges are providedwith lips, and a brace slidably fitting between the flanges of the fishplate and having its ends engaging the said lips tohold the braceagainst lateral displacement, the brace and lower flange of the fishplate having openings adapted to aline.

5. In a rail joint, a rail chair having complementing angle fish plates,and braces disposed between the flanges of the respective fish plates,the flanges having means engaging the braces for guiding the braces forlongitudinal sliding movement and for holding them against lateraldisplacement.

6. In a rail joint, a rail chair having complementing angle fish plates,and braces disposed between the flanges of the respective fish plates,the flanges having means for guiding the braces for longitudinal slidingmovement, the lower portions of the braces and the lower flanges of thefish plates having openings to be brought into alinement,

7. In a rail joint, a rail chair having complementing angle fish plates,the flanges of the fish plates having lips, and braces disposed betweenthe said lips in opposition to each other.

8. In a rail joint, a rail chair having complementing angle fish plates,the flanges of the fish plates having lips, and braces snugly fittingthe fish plates and having their ends engaging the respective lips forholding the braces against lateral displacement, the lower portions ofthe braces and the lower flanges of the fish plates having openingsadapted to'be brought into alinement.

9. In a rail joint, a rail chair having complementing angle fish plates,the upright flanges of the fish plates having apertures, a pininsertible through the said apertures for engagement through an openingin a rail In testimony that I claim the foregoing Web, and bracesengageable between the as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signaflangesof the fish plates to inclose the said ture in the presence of twoWitnesses.

pin and hold it in place, the flanges of the JACOB E. MEYERS. fishplates having long-itudinal lipes engage- Witnesses:

able with the ends of the braces for holding WILL BONES,

the braces in place. J THOMAS J. THURSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

